French Toast with Strawberries, Blueberries and creme fraiche Photo Credit: Sarah Adamson

Nick’s Cozy Corner

12337 S. Route 59

Plainfield, Illinois

(815) 254-3960

Hours: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily

The Scoop- Total Dining Experience: ★★★ ½ out of 4

Nick's Cozy Corner Serves Breakfast, and Much More

This is a "Greek" diner at its best−big booths with lots of privacy, attentive service and a menu as thick as a phone book. Best of all, its location at makes it convenient to almost all of Plainfield.

We stopped by for breakfast and my dining partner, the discerning omelet critic, decided to put theirs to the test and, good news, they exceeded his strict standards. He raved about the fluffy American cheese omelet, made with large, fresh eggs and just the right amount of cheese.

That it came with hash browns and a choice of toast or pancakes made the meal huge, and a bargain at $7. Even the most elaborate omelet here will set you back only $9.

As for me, I couldn't resist stuffed French toast, which was a special that day and another bargain. Packed with fruit, topped with mixed berries and served with a small pitcher of warm maple syrup; I was in heaven, $7.

We also sampled a side order of turkey patties. Another good choice. These can be tricky to do right, but our serving was moist and cooked perfectly -- a nice complement to our breakfast.

In addition to breakfast and lunch, they serve a wide variety of entrees, including pepper steak, prime rib, pork chops, ribs, chicken, fish, shrimp and homemade stuffed pasta shells. On Thursdays, they offer a "comfort food" chicken pot pie. Expect to pay between $10 and $19.

Backstage Notes: Nick's is owned by Angel Herzberger and her husband Michael, who have ties to the old Washington Square restaurant in

Naperville. Angel is the daughter of Washington Square's owner Peter Matthews, who decided to retire eight years ago after 30 years in the business. Fortunately for fans of the old restaurant, Washington Square's longtime sous chef, Shawnie Ortiz, is now a fixture at Nick's.

Another holdover from the old place are the famous pumpkin rolls, made by Angel's mother, Marlene O'Malley. The roll is more like a round cake that's stuffed with cream cheese and, when sliced, serves up to 12. You have to order them in advance; they cost $19 for one and $35 for two. They're available now through Christmas.

Sarah Adamson© September 23, 2010

Photo credit: Sarah Adamson

La Adelita Mexican Restaurant

15732 S. Route 59

Plainfield, Illinois

815-577-6101

Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 1o a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday

The Scoop- Total Dining Experience: ★★★ out of 4

Nice Touches Set La Adelita Apart from Other area Mexican Restaurants

Attention to detail is important at La Adelita. You can tell from the white tablecloths, which offer a sharp contrast to the brown wood chairs, and the vivid hand-painted murals, all of which create an inviting dining atmosphere. It's hard to believe that just a couple of years ago this was once a Wendy's fast-food restaurant.

Yum Factor − Details of the items we tried.

Chips and Salsa-Most Mexican restaurants serve chips and salsa before a meal, and it's always something of a roll of the dice as to what will arrive at your table. So, I'm happy to report that LaAdelita's was perfect. The cilantro was prominent, but not overbearing, and it was light on the green onions and easy on the burn-your-tastebuds spiciness.

Guacamole-I tend to favor heavy on lime, which this was, and the use of fresh avocados was obvious. It was far superior to what you'd typically find in most restaurants − one of the high points of the meal.

Make Your Own Chicken Soup-I'm always curious about the "la sopa del día" -- aka soup of the day -- and on this particular day they were offering a savory chicken soup ($4) that's notable because four of the fixings are served on the side. The diner makes the dish his own by adding cilantro, hot peppers, onions and brown rice to suit his taste.

This was a really pleasant surprise and a lot fun. And the bonus, great-tasting, personally seasoned soup. When I inquired about the more popular menu items, our friendly waiter, who was also the manager, shed some light on the wide variety of choices.

Shredded Beef and Cheese Chimichanga-The order was very large and not as crispy as others I've tasted, but not bad. There's a hint of onions in the filling, which has a tomato base sauce. Rice, beans and sour cream complement this dish. In addition to shredded beef, you can choose from chicken, ground beef and steak. $9

Strawberry Margarita- To accompany the meal, we ordered a frozen strawberry margarita with a special request for a light pour of tequila, which they had no problem filling. The rim was garnished with sugar, and the drink had just the right amount of ice to strawberries. Delicious and large. $5

Revolucionario de Asada-is offered in the molcajetes section and contains grilled skirt steak, shrimp, grilled cactus, mushrooms and shrimp. A treat to be sure as the combination and flavors were amazing. $15

"Molcajetes means bowl and the dinner is served in the container shown in the menu photo," Jose Velazquez informed me. "These entrées are our most popular week day items."

The restaurant is named after Adelita, a real woman who fought in the 1910 Mexican Revolution and is now a folk hero of sorts in her native country. Her story is told in the sleek colorful menu that's so large that it's bound together by a plastic spiral. !It's interesting reading, and gives the place a feeling of authenticity that's sometimes lacking in those Mexican places that claim to serve burritos as big as your head.

A full bar is located in the front of the restaurant with two televisions, which can be distracting if you're planning a quiet dinner. A local crowd had gathered while we were there and appeared to be having an enjoyable time. My only other suggestion to the owners would be to adjust the heat. It was a tad bit on the chilly side, and some diners were wearing their coats.

Sarah Adamson© December 2, 2010

http://www.laadelitamexrest.com/main.html

Photo credit: Sarah Adamson

Lucky Bamboo Restaurant

2304 S. Route 59

Plainfield, Illinois

815-609-7888

Lucky Bamboo Rivals Its Big-City Counterparts in Authentic Chinese. In addition to an elaborate menu. They also sells a variety of Chinatown-style gift items.

The Scoop- Total Dining Experience: ★★★ out of 4

If you crave authentic Chinese dining or have yen to buy colorful Asian trinkets, skip the trip to Chinatown in Chicago. The Lucky Bamboo Restaurant, a real hidden gem sells both.

Don't let the numerous photos of food on the outside restaurant windows dissuade you from checking this place out. Once inside, you'll be provided with a beautifully sleek, bound menu that describes in great detail all of the Hunan and Schezwan options they serve.

Yum Factor − Details of the items we tried.

Strawberry Smoothie- The menu photos do serve a purpose -- I couldn't resist ordering a strawberry smoothie because they looked so tempting. I was surprised that what was delivered was so much larger than what was shown in the menu, not to mention refreshing. A great value at $3.

Crab RangoonI love crab rangoon as a starter if I'm dining Chinese, and you won't go wrong ordering it here. The mix of crab meat, cream cheese and green onions inside a deep-fried pastry dough arrived quickly and was steamy hot. With just the right amount of crispiness, my taste buds were pleased. One minor disappointment: no plum sauce offered for dipping. I made do with the sweet and sour sauce. The lunch price was $4.

Egg Rolls-We also sampled egg rolls filled with shrimp, barbecue pork and vegetables. They were served golden brown, with a soft outer texture that's not super crunchy. These rolls were generously filled, and the sweet and sour sauce added the perfect complement.$3

Egg Drop Soup-Another personal favorite is the egg drop soup and Lucky Bamboo's version is, hands down, the best I've tasted anywhere. The fresh ingredients were apparent, and they didn't stint on the green onions, savory broth or semi-poached egg whites. And the price was just as incredible -- $2 for a cup and $3 for a bowl.

Cashew Chicken-The lunch entrées were served on white ceramic plates with delicate, hand-painted Asian designs. (This is definitely not a paper plate and plastic silver ware kind of place.) I ordered the cashew chicken with mixed vegetables, which was served with chicken fried rice and a choice of an egg roll or crab rangoon. You can't beat the price tag, especially since there was enough for leftovers. $6

Many other entrees are offered. The black peppered shrimp and scallops are noted on the menu as a chef's favorite, priced at $13. The highest priced entree is the lobster, scallops, shrimp and crabmeat dish at $16.

The service was excellent and our waiter was very patient, answering all of our questions about the menu.

If you're in the mood to buy a lucky bamboo plant of your own, you're in the right place. The restaurant doubles as a small store, with Asian wares they sell are similar to what you'd find in any Chinatown in a major city.

Sarah Adamson© October 7, 2010